Man kills childhood friend during beer parlour argument

The Ikotun Police Division has arrested a land agent, Rasaki Semiu, for the murder of his 38-year-old childhood friend, Omogbai Tunde.

Our correspondent learnt that Semiu, 28, stabbed Tunde in the neck after he challenged him over issues of marital infidelity.

It was gathered that prior to the incident, Semiu, who was married with five children, had left his house for five days.

His anxious wife was said to have gone to Tunde’s residence in the Ikotun area of Lagos, to help her talk to his friend as he was allegedly fond of such habit.

Tunde, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, had reportedly, promised to counsel his friend.

It was learnt that on the Saturday of that week, the deceased had called the suspect for a discussion at a pub where they usually had fun.

While the men were drinking beer at the pub, the deceased reportedly brought up the matter, which sparked an argument.

A police source said the suspect, in self defence, also accused the late Tunde of “sleeping with all the women in the community.”

The argument reportedly degenerated into fisticuffs as the men smashed their bottles of beer on the floor and began fighting with the fragments.

Semiu, in a fit of anger, allegedly went for a knife and stabbed Tunde on the neck.

He reportedly bled to death.

The suspect was said to have been arrested after Tunde’s wife who witnessed the fight reported the matter to the police.

Semiu was arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s court on Tuesday on one count of murder.

The Magistrate, Mr. O.O. Olatunji, called the Investigating Police Officer, Sergeant Olojede Mayowa, to tell the court his findings.

Olojede, who is attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, said, “On March 29, 2014, Semiu and the deceased, who were friends, had an argument over a minor issue. The deceased had actually advised Semiu to change his bad attitude of sleeping outside his matrimonial home.

“He, however, became angry because he said it in the public. In self defence, he also accused Tunde of sleeping with all the women in the community. They started fighting.

“An eyewitness, who was the wife of the deceased, told the police that Semiu ran out and picked a knife that he used to kill his friend.”

He said the police recovered the corpse from the scene of the incident and took it to the mortuary, and an autopsy report had also been obtained.

The police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, said the offence was punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

“We will therefore be applying that Semiu be remanded in prison pending the release of the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. This is pursuant to Section 264 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011. The defendant has already made a confessional statement to the crime,” Osuji added.

The defence counsel, Niyi Oyefolu, did not object to the remand application.

Olatunji, while urging the police to duplicate the murder case file on time, ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison pending the release of the DPP legal advice.

The matter was adjourned for May 21, 2014.

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